


The More Things Change

by Baneismydragon



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Eventual Fluff, F/M, Friendship, God I just need these two to get together already, Hurt/Comfort, Rejection, Romance, Unrequited Love, adrienette - Freeform, eventual identity reveal, love square shinannigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-22
Updated: 2016-03-31
Packaged: 2018-05-28 10:27:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6325378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baneismydragon/pseuds/Baneismydragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette didn’t know what was wrong with him, just as he didn’t know what troubled her, but they both knew hurt. Somehow that was enough. He twisted his hand underneath hers until he was clutching it softly. Tethering himself to this new and unexpected lifeline. He squeezed her palm hoping to convey in this small gesture that she wasn’t alone either.</p><p>Sometimes the relationships we want we can't have, and sometimes the relationships we need are the ones we were too blind to see.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Unrequited

“Please” He asked, his voice rough and low “I need to know. Do you feel the same?”

  
Her heart plummeted, and her head swam. This wasn’t something she could brush off with a playful shove or a witty retort. He was laying his heart out for her, looking at her as though she was the only thing that mattered in his world.

Do you feel the same?

  
The word came out in a whisper “No.”  
~~~  
She saw him clench. He didn’t move or stumble, but she could just see the trembling of his arms the rest of him, taught like a string that was pulled too tightly. The dull hum of Paris at night was not enough to fill the silence between them. He turned and looked sidelong at her, but did not meet her eyes. Then, softly, “Is there someone else?”

  
She could feel her cheeks flush as her mouth opened wordlessly. Should she tell him? Would that be too cruel or was that something he needed to hear? What could she even say to him without skimming too close to exposing her real identity?

  
Before she could say anything he shook his head slightly and with his eyes closed said, “I see. I shouldn’t be surprised. I forget sometimes that you have a life outside of all of this.” He turned away, head still bowed as he continued. “I’m sorry. I just… I’m still pretty new at this. I guess I wasn’t as ready as I thought.”

  
Marinette’s heart wrenched. This wasn’t her Chat. No silly grins or terrible puns. His joie de vivre and reckless abandon had slipped away. Everything that she had thought him to be exposed as only one piece of who he really was.

  
She had taken for granted the idea that somewhere in the city was a boy with startling green eyes who was terrorizing teachers with awful puns and saucy comebacks, while flirting shamelessly with every pretty girl he met. That perhaps someday in the future she would run into him by chance and she would just KNOW, because honestly how could you miss that much ridiculous energy all wrapped up in one person. She had never dreamed that perhaps the real Chat Noir was something else altogether. She had always known that he was kind, and god knows he was the most supportive partner she could have ever dreamed up, but she had failed to see this other side to him. A side that was loving and soft and oh so very alone.

  
For the first time she realized that maybe she wasn’t the only one who was different with the mask on.

  
She started when he whipped around to her with a stricken expression, his eyes boring into hers.

“Wait, are you already with someone? God, I’ve been flirting with you this whole time and… oh no, god- no wonder you never…I mean I must have made you so uncomfortable- I didn’t even think that…”

  
“No, no! Chat! it’s nothing like that!” Marinette rushed forward to close the distance between them grabbing onto his hands with her own, for the first time knowing the right thing to say to try and break this overwhelming tension.

  
“We’re friends.” The words dangled in the air, an emptiness about them.

“I know and we always will be.” said chat quickly. He had a gently smile, but his eyes were heavy.

  
“What? Actually I meant… never mind that’s not important, you’re right _we_ are friends. And no matter what I don’t want that to change.” She tightly squeezed his leather clad palms and returned his smile, only to have him turn his face away from her. But he didn’t let go of her hand. She wasn’t sure if that was a good sign, or if he just felt too polite to try to pull his hands from her.

  
“I get it.” Chat almost whispers. ”I do.”

  
“Chat, I-“

  
“Its OK My Lady. Really.” He stared out across the Paris skyline eyes unreadable. Then he laughed. Not a cold laugh, but somehow it still seemed to fall hollow and flat. She felt her heart twist in agony for this boy who loved her too much and got so little from her in return. Her stomach knotted and churned, she didn’t understand the looming dread that pricked at her skin or the wordless pain that shouted in the back of her mind, warning her that she had managed to break something that was beyond her ability to fix.

  
“I do love you”

  
“I know.”

  
But not the way that he needed.

  
Her throat swelled with misery and she desperately tried to form more words to comfort him. She had shattered his heart and she didn’t know how to even begin piecing together the shards.

  
“Please Chat, I can’t… I… I didn’t…” She suddenly found herself pulled into his arms, wrapped into an embrace both desperate and somehow achingly gentle, and she could feel every emotion pouring out of him as he buried his masked face into her shoulder. Love, anguish, forgiveness, hurt.

  
“You are everything to me My Lady, and nothing you have said will ever change that. Don’t ever think that you should change yourself for anything, not even for me. I will always been here for you, in whatever way you wish.”

  
She felt humbled. She didn’t deserve his understanding. This kind, broken boy who saw something in her that couldn’t possibly be real. Tears pooled in her eyes as she clung to him. Terrified that if she let go he would be lost to her forever. Her partner who she trusted with her life. This dear, dear friend who she knew better than anyone and who somehow was still a complete stranger.

  
How had she let this happen? Why had she never seen the truth of his adoration behind the silly flirtations and wicked grins, missed the sincerity in his gestures and the longing in his gaze? Her poor, selfless cat who always protected her from danger. Who had been beaten and bruised for her, who had never faltered or let her down, who she knew would die for her if it came to it.

  
She felt her own heart break for his loss.

  
“I am sorry. I am so sorry”.

He pulled away from her, his hands lifting to rest on her shoulders. She tilted her head up, locking her eyes with his. Until that moment she didn’t think she had realized how much taller he was that her. His gaze was soft, but his eyes were clouded and he couldn’t hide the sorrow that lurked in their depths. He tentatively leaned down and placed a quiet kiss on her forehead.

  
“I will always love you, My Lady.” He took a step back then, lowering his hands from her and pulling himself together with his usual bravado, although she could see that his smile still didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Hey, even if I spend the rest of my life simply admiring your beauty from afar, as long as I can still be here by your side when it counts,” he shrugged and winked at her, “I suppose that still makes me a pretty lucky cat.”  
She smiled up at him, not really sure what else she could possibly do or say.

  
“Never fear Ladybug. I will be purr-fectly fine again soon.” He gave her a quick two fingered salute and disappeared over the rooftops, disappearing into the dark shadows of the night. She stayed where she was, staring out across the empty landscape where he had gone and hoped with everything she had that he would be right.

She didn’t see him for three weeks.


	2. Unconditional

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette didn’t know what was wrong with him, just as he didn’t know what troubled her, but they both knew hurt. Somehow that was enough. He twisted his hand underneath hers until he was clutching it softly. Tethering himself to this new and unexpected lifeline. He squeezed her palm hoping to convey in this small gesture that she wasn’t alone either. 
> 
> Sometimes the relationships we want we can't have, and sometimes the relationships we need are the ones we were too blind to see.

Adrien was ready for the day to be over. Normally he loved being in school, finding the monotonous drone of lessons he was largely over prepared for soothing. But today his nerves were too on edge. The sounds of rustling classmates would send flickers of awareness through him, grinding on his already sour mood. 

He should be over this by now. It had been two weeks since his disastrous confession, and to be honest as much as he had hoped that maybe, maybe, she would return his affections, he had known that his chances were slim. 

The next morning his father had dragged him off unexpectedly to a show in Berlin, which had been both a curse and a blessing. A curse because while the runways and photoshoots were exhausting in their own right, they mostly just left him with too much time to brood over his own shattered emotions. A blessing because his downcast eyes and perpetual scowl that he couldn’t seem to shake apparently perfectly captured the “Vergangenheitsbewaeltigung” they were looking to capture as the emotion behind the upcoming winter collection. Adrien still couldn’t tell you what it meant, but apparently desperately trying to hide the fact that you just had your heart ripped out of your chest was a good way to express it. 

It was for the best that he had this time away from his friends and especially from his Lady. He knew that he much look an absolute wreck. His father had even taken time out of his own work in order to take Adrien to a private dinner and inquire as to his strange mood. 

Unable to cope with his father’s uncharacteristic concern, or the bizarre looks he kept throwing him as he struggled to have an actual conversation like a normal parent, Adrien had simply blurted out that he had been having dreams about his mother. The rest of the dinner had gone by in silence. 

After weeks of being away he had hoped that things would return to a sense of normalcy as he fell back into the routine of his everyday life. Somehow though, this first day back seemed, if anything, to be worse. Nino had taken one look at him and immediately launched into a slew of concerned questions that Adrien had no real way of answering. He had found himself almost choking on his practiced lie that his out of town engagement had just left him over tired and stressed. Even Chloe had ask him if he was feeling alright after she had thrown herself at him on the school steps, loudly proclaiming how his absence for the past two weeks had left her heartbroken and miserable, unable to do anything worthwhile he was away. Based on the brand new designer outfits he eyed on both her and Sabrina, either she had consoled herself with massive amounts of retail therapy, or way exaggerating in a vain attempt to impress him. 

Adrien waited desperately through the final few minutes of the school day already prepared to bolt off to his locker as quickly as possible to avoid anymore of Nino’s persistent inquiries. He was supposed to have fencing lessons after class today but he had already spoken to Monsieur D’Argencourt during the lunch break begging off for illness, It hadn’t been a hard sell given the dark rings around his eyes. That left him with two free hours before Gorilla arrived to pick him up from school where he could, for lack of a better word, hide. 

He meandered through the halls, waiting for the sounds of his fellow students to drift off as people headed home. After a few minutes he quietly wound his way back towards his homeroom to take advantage of the empty space, sooth his rattled nerves, and hopefully catch up on a few of the assignments he had missed. He could always go to the library, but he didn’t want to risk dealing with any of his other classmates having the same agenda. 

Adrien had barely made it through the doorway of the classroom when he collided with a small solid body. He staggered back catching his footing and he heard an undignified yelp as the person he had walked into crashed back onto the floor. Apparently he hadn’t waited long enough for everyone to clear out. 

Marinette Dupain-Cheng gazed up at him, her limbs tangled in a heap on the floor. 

“Oh Adrien. Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

For the first time in weeks Adrien’s mind focused. Something was different. 

He tried for a smile.“No, its just as much my fault, I’ve been kind of distracted myself.” He reached out his hand and helped pull her to her feet. She gave him a half hearted smile and brushed at her clothes to dislodge any dirt or dust she had acquired from her fall. 

“Its ok. I was just trying to hide from Alya. She can be persistent if she thinks I am hiding something and I just…” She trailed off not meeting his eyes. 

“Yeah. I know. Nino’s the same way.” Adrien hesitated before adding. “I was just looking for somewhere quiet to get some work done but you can stay if you want.” 

“Oh. Thanks.” 

She didn’t move to take a seat, but she didn’t move towards the door either. She just stood in front of him staring off at nothing. 

Adrien drank in the sight of this strange new creature before him. This was Marinette, obviously, but somehow it wasn’t. He hadn’t noticed anything during the day, being too caught up in his own misery, but now that he was looking at her he could see that something was obviously very wrong with the normally cheerful girl. Her eyes were heavy and bloodshot, her skin pale and draw, and her posture which was normally open and assured in spite of her awkward clumsiness was huddled and dejected. He was also fairly certain that this was the most words she had ever spoken directly to him. 

Somehow this strange dejected girl seemed to push his own problems out of his mind, and Adrien latched onto the distraction. He swung his bag onto the desk in front of him, Nino’s, he thought absently, and without breaking his gaze from Marinette gestured for her to take a seat herself. She glanced at him, her expression hardening into something he couldn’t even begin to decipher, before nodding sharply as if coming to a decision. She turned around and sat down in his empty space. 

Adrien slid into the seat next to her, careful to leave a good amount of breathing room and felt his heart leap at this small victory. He had never really understood Marinette. She was always so strange, so guarded around him. They were friends of a sort, sometimes they even managed to hang out in a relatively normal manner. But Adrien had never managed to shake the feeling that there was something he was missing whenever he would catch her looking in his direction. Maybe his own haggard appearance had somehow made him more approachable to her. Perhaps this time he could finally prove himself to this girl, whom he always seems to unwittingly offend. 

Unfortunately, Adrien realized that having gained her attention, he had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to say. ‘Marinette you look like you haven’t slept in a week wanna talk about it’ seemed overly forward given their lack of closeness, and ‘hey you’ve managed to say more than three sentences in my presence does that mean we are friends now’ was just downright pathetic. Thankfully Karma seemed to have decided that Adrien’s life really had nowhere left to go but up because she broke the silence first.

“How was Germany? Nino mentioned you were there for work.” 

“Awful.” 

He heard her let out a small gasp of surprise before he realized he had actually said the word out loud. He flushed slightly at his own petulance, but then he saw her expression out of the corner of his eye. She looked a little shocked at his negative outburst but he also could see a hint of a smile creeping into her eyes. He decided to push his luck. She had seemed to like Chat well enough the few times they interacted with each other, maybe Adrien had always just been too reserved for her taste. 

“The weather was terrible, I couldn’t understand half of what they were saying to me, and whoever though that orange and tan stripes were the next thing in high fashion needs to be shot.”   
Marinette laughed. A soft musical sound that warmed him to his core. He found himself smiling at her, absurdly proud that he had managed to bring light back into her eyes and a pale flush to her cheeks. 

“And don’t get me started on the food.” He continued, hoping to draw her out more. “Apparently models are supposed to live off of sawdust and cucumber salad because I am pretty sure that’s the only thing I was allowed to even look at.” He was rewarded with another laugh, her eyes meeting his with a look of amused sympathy. 

“Well at least its over now.” She said softly. 

“Yeah.” Adrien felt his own sense of bravado slip away as memories of his own troubles pushed into his thoughts. “at least it’s over.” 

Marinette didn’t look away this time. Instead she seemed to study him with an intensity that made him wonder if she could see right through him. Hesitantly, as if she was afraid of getting burned, she reached out a hand and cautiously placed it on top of his own. When he didn’t pull away she whispered, “I’m a pretty good listener you know. If something is bothering you should feel free to talk about it.”

“I could say the same to you.” 

She flinched slightly, but Adrien was oddly proud when she didn’t pull away. They both sat in silence for a few minutes, simply taking comfort in having another person present who seemed to understand the pain. Maybe Marinette didn’t know what was wrong with him, just as he didn’t know what troubled her, but they both knew hurt. Somehow that was enough. He twisted his hand underneath hers until he was clutching it softly. Tethering himself to this new and unexpected lifeline. He squeezed her palm hoping to convey in this small gesture that she wasn’t alone either.   
“You’re right.” Adrien finally breathed out, looking down at their joined hands for lack of anywhere better to focus. “I should be able to talk about things, but in this case, I don’t really think I can.” He cast Marinette a rueful smile. “Saying it’s complicated would be an understatement.” 

Marinette fixed him with that unreadable expression again, but her eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully, as if she was trying to find the right words. He waited patiently for her to collect her thoughts, letting his thumb absently run against the back of her hand. 

“How about this,” Marinette said at last, “instead of saying what happened exactly we just talk about how we are feeling. That way we don’t give anything away that we don’t want to.” She was peering up at him through delicate lashes, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. The bright crimson of her face belying the casual manner of her words. Clearly this was taking every ounce of courage the poor girl possessed and Adrien could feel an odd tugging in his chest. 

“Okay.” He took a deep breath gathering his thoughts and carefully choosing the vaguest words he could manage. “I think part of me knew that this was coming, but… it doesn’t make it hurt less. I just thought that maybe, just this once, that I had found something for me. Something that wouldn’t go away. I guess I just wasn’t good enough.” 

“Adrien.” Her tone was anguished and she looked at him as though she was seeing him for the first time. Maybe she was. He dropped his gaze and knew that his cheeks were burning with shame. Marinette didn’t need to be saddled with his own crippling self-doubt. 

“Adrien,” she began again, softer this time. “Adrien you can’t honestly think you aren’t worthy, I mean, everyone loves you.” 

Adrien couldn’t help the harsh bitter laugh that escaped him at her ironic choice of words. “You’d be surprised.” 

Marinette’s face was a roller coaster of thoughts and emotions that he didn’t even try to keep up with. Eventually though her eyes widened in comprehension and she leaned in, startling him into locking eyes with her brilliant blue stare. 

“You’re in love with someone, someone who doesn’t love you back.” It was a statement not a question, and he didn’t even bother to deny it. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t…I shouldn’t have said…” she stammered and then swallowed, the determined glint coming back into her eyes. “I am not trying to pry, I won’t ask for any details I promise.” He felt his shoulders relax though he hadn’t realized they were tense in the first place. 

“It’s ok, I don’t mind that you know. Besides, It’s not like it’s your fault.” 

He expected her to try to talk him out of it, or to maybe try to give him the type of reassurances that are supposed to come from friends in this type of situation. She surprised him again when instead she brought her other hand up to clutch against their already joined fingers as if hanging on for dear life, tears pooling in her eyes as she sobbed out her words. 

“I think I ruined everything, and I don’t even know what I could have done. I hurt him so much, but I just can’t be what he wants. And I know, I KNOW that it isn’t my fault, that I didn’t do it on purpose, but I still can’t stand it. How can you love someone so much and not be in love with them? And now… now what if he never speaks to me again? What if he is out there somewhere right now looking as miserable as you, and I did that!” 

Marinette’s words choked off as she dissolved into actual sobs, tears streaking down her face. He dropped her hands and gathered her into his arms at a complete loss as to how to comfort his shaking classmate. His mind was spinning and he cursed himself for his own selfish misery. It seemed that he wasn’t the only one dealing with the complications of unrequited love. He idly wondered if Nathanael had finally worked up the courage to confess to Marinette while he had been away, or if she had some other unknown suitor who had pushed her to this state. Her hands dug into the front of his tee shirt and he could feel the stream of tears soaking through the fabric onto his skin as he struggled to form the words that would calm her down. 

“Marinette, no, stop. It’s ok.” He ran one hand up and down her back desperately trying to sooth her as he felt guilt gnawing at his gut. He had never really stopped to think what it must be like on the other side of the equation. While it didn’t stop the pain or the disappointment, he found a new sense of clarity as he gently held this crying girl. 

“Marinette.” He tried again softly. “Just because someone gets hurt doesn’t mean that you did anything wrong. I don’t think love is supposed to work like that. You’re right, you can love someone and not be in love with them. I mean, you can love someone and not even like them very much.” Adrien couldn’t stop the image of his father that flashed across his mind. He pulled back from her slightly and raised one hand up to cup her face, forcing her to meet his gaze. 

“My mom used to tell me that love is all about being honest. So if you have to lie to someone to love them the way they want, then what good is it anyways?” As he spoke the words Adrien realized how much they applied to his own situation as well as Marinettes. As much as he loved Ladybug, what he wanted from her was something real. Even if all he ever was to her was a friend, wouldn’t it be better to have a true friend than a forced romance? He felt a slight pressure ease off of his chest. He wasn’t ok, not right now, but he would be. And for the first time in two weeks he actually believed it. 

“The girl that I liked, I know that she wasn’t trying to hurt me, she just loves someone else. Just because I am upset doesn’t make it her fault.” He forced a small smile and Marinette fell silent. The tears were still dripping down her cheeks but he could see her anxiously hanging on his words. “It’s not anyone’s fault, and I am not going to think less of her just because she doesn’t feel the same way I do. I don’t know what happened to you Marinette, and I don’t need to, but if this guy cares for you half as much as you seem to care for him, I doubt that he would think any differently that I do.” 

Marinette’s eyes widened, the look that she was giving him so open and full of emotion that Adrien felt his heart stop. He was suddenly acutely aware of the face that his hand was still pressed against her face and that it would take almost no effort on his part to lean down and capture her lips with his. 

“Whoever that girl is, she doesn’t deserve you.”

Adrien laughed nervously, breaking the contact and pulling his hand away to rub the back of his neck. 

“That’s definitely not true, but thanks for saying it.” Adrien found that he couldn’t quite meet her eyes, and he could feel a burning sensation along his neck and ears. They fell into a comfortable silence, but there was a new awareness that he had never noticed before, a fragile tension that he was scared to put a name to just yet. 

“I…I should probably get headed home, my parents are going to start to wonder where I am.” Marinette stood up slowly, gathering up her bags and toeing at the ground. 

“Yeah, ok.” Adrien stood as well, although he had no idea why he felt the compulsion to. He still had to have at least an hour before his bodyguard would come looking for him, probably more. He wasn’t sure how long they had been sitting here trying to comfort each other but the sky was still light out so he doubted it had been more than a half hour. They stood in silence again, glancing at each other but neither willing to make eye contact. 

“I, uh… Thanks.” Adrien mumbled softly. “Really, thanks for… this. I think it helped.” He swallowed struggling to articulate what he really meant to this girl who he still barely knew, but who was definitely no longer a stranger to him. “I mean, I know it helped. So… so thank you.” 

Marinette glanced up at him again but just as quickly looked away, her cheeks flushed pink and her shoulders curled in around herself nervously. “I know. I mean, I know help. I mean, I know it helped me. Talking to things, I mean talking to you about things…” She trailed off again, stammering and blushing harder, much more like the usual Marinette he had grown accustomed to over the past year. 

“I should go.” She rushed over to the door, eyes trained onto her feet. 

“Marinette!” He called after her, and she paused in the doorway. She didn’t turn back, but something made him blurt out anyways, “You did the right thing. If you weren’t really in love with him then… you did the right thing.” Adrien wasn’t sure if he said the words for her sake or his own. “I know it doesn’t mean that much coming from me but…” his words trailed off as she turned to face him. 

“It means everything coming from you.” And with a final breathtaking smile she ran off. 

He was frozen. Long after the sound of her footsteps had died off into the distance he just stared at the empty doorway, his memory replaying the vision of her final expression of complete and undisguised adoration. 

Adrien couldn’t believe his own blindness. He knew there was no going back anymore, the truth was finally clear and there were two things that he would never be able to overlook or rationalize again.   
The first was that he had been completely wrong about Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Her awkward stuttering and stammering taking on a whole new meaning that was both terrifying and utterly exhilarating.   
The second was that when she smiled at him like that, with stars in her eyes and hope illuminating her face, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vergangenheitsbewaeltigung n. The struggle to come to terms with the past.   
> Seriously the Germans have the best words for weird and complex emotions I love it. 
> 
>  
> 
> Hope you all found this to be a nice reprieve after last weeks angst! There is still a good chunk of this story to go so hopefully you will stick around to see what these two crazy kiddos will do next!   
> I really love playing with the Adrienette dynamic before they actually are together because its something that is so real and vulnerable for both of them. Also I think its so important that we look at relationships for all that they are. Its easy when you have unrequited love to look at there being one victim, one person who is left hurting. Sometimes its a lot more complicated than that, and one of my favorite things about this show is that they never shame the characters for saying no. Its ok for things to not work out and still be friends, just like its ok to be friends and still have feelings for someone as long as your respect their decisions and feelings as well.   
> Of course we all know that these two will totally be together forever because they are REDICULOUSLY PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER! AHHHHH!!!! 
> 
> Anyways ^_^ Hope you all enjoyed and stay tune for the next chapter!

**Author's Note:**

> I know! I am so sorry!!!!! This ending is so mean! But its also necessary. This story is primarily an Adrienette fic so I just wanted to rip that Ladynoir band aid right off.  
> While this story will definitely still be full of a good amount of Angst and drama if you got through this chapter and are still willing to stick with me I don't think you will be disappointed!  
> This is only the beginning friends, only the beginning.  
> Mwahahahaha
> 
> Comments and thoughts are always appreciated! Hope you enjoyed!


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